World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology
International Journal of Mechanical, Aerospace, Industrial, Mechatronic and Manufacturing Engineering Vol:3, No:10, 2009
Improvement of Gas Turbine Performance Test
in Combine Cycle
M. Khosravy-el-Hossani, Q. Dorosti
AbstractOne of the important applications of gas turbines is
their utilization for heat recovery steam generator in combine-cycle
technology. Exhaust flow and energy are two key parameters for
determining heat recovery steam generator performance which are
mainly determined by the main gas turbine components performance
International Science Index, Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering Vol:3, No:10, 2009 waset.org/Publication/13979
data. For this reason a method was developed for determining the
exhaust energy in the new edition of ASME PTC22. The result of this
investigation shows that the method of standard has considerable
error. Therefore in this paper a new method is presented for
modifying of the performance calculation. The modified method is
based on exhaust gas constituent analysis and combustion
calculations. The case study presented here by two kind of General
Electric gas turbine design data for validation of methodologies. The
result shows that the modified method is more precise than the
ASME PTC22 method. The exhaust flow calculation deviation from
design data is 1.5-2 % by ASME PTC22 method so that the deviation
regarding with modified method is 0.3-0.5%. Based on precision of
analyzer instruments, the method can be suitable alternative for gas
turbine standard performance test. In advance two methods are
proposed based on known and unknown fuel in modified method
procedure. The result of this paper shows that the difference between
the two methods is below than %0.02. In according to reasonable
result of the second procedure (unknown fuel composition), the
method can be applied to performance evaluation of gas turbine, so
that the measuring cost and data gathering should be reduced.
KeywordsGas turbine, Performance test code, Combined
cycle.
I. INTRODUCTION
G AS turbines have had a great role in electricity industry
during the past four decades. Because of low primary
investment cost, gas turbines are used alternatively in order to
supply the peak load of power transmission line, and due to
short time of startup they have a considerable role in
emergency services. Moreover, with regards to the
development of natural gas pipelines they are used for driving
compressors. One of other ever increasing applications of gas
turbines is their use in combined cycle which leads to a high
efficiency and power output.
The recent improvement in performance of gas turbines lies
in the increase of efficiency of consisting gas turbine
M. Khosravy-el-Hossani is with the Research Institute of Petroleum
Industry , Tehran, West Entrance Azadi Sport Complex, Iran (corresponding
author to provide phone+98-21-48252194; fax: +98-21-44739725; e-mail:
khosravym@ripi.ir).
Q. Dorosti, is with the Research Institute of Petroleum Industry, Tehran,
West Entrance Azadi Sport Complex, Iran.( e-mail: qaran.d@gmail.com)
International Scholarly and Scientific Research & Innovation 3(10) 2009
components including compressor, combustion chamber, and
expander. Some researchers have done studies on evaluation
of performance of gas turbines, which can be classified into
two major categories. The first group includes studies which
have investigated the modeling of parts of the gas turbine
cycle, and have tried to troubleshoot gas turbines using
component maps and dimensionless parameters of the system
[1, 2 and 3], and the second group have investigated the
parameters influencing off design performance [4, 5 and 6].
In troubleshooting of gas turbine it is necessary to perform a
detailed investigation of performance of each of the parts of
the gas turbine cycle. The common point in all cycle parts
simulation techniques is the use of component maps. Since
most of these kinds of maps are owned by manufacturers and
it is hard to access them, other methods are also suggested
including similarity consideration and the method using
general component maps for compressor and turbine [7].
Besides performance test standards, studies have also been
done in order to improve the methods for determination of
output or general performance of gas turbines. Yonghong has
presented a novel method based on mathematical modeling of
steady state performance of gas turbines [8]. In another study,
Riegler has proposed some correlations for calculation of heat
transfer rate in gas turbine performance calculations [9]. In the
paper, heat loss from the gas turbine package surface in
transient and steady state has been modeled. In another study
which had been done by Zhu et al., a simplified model has
been presented for estimation of gas turbine performance in
combined cycle [10]. They have been able to identify six key
input parameters which are critical in determining the thermal
efficiency.
The calculations related to field performance of gas turbines
have been increasing recently. These kinds of calculations
have been used in order to make sure about the efficiency,
output power and operational fuel consumption of gas turbines
in economical estimations and guarantee conditions of
manufacturer. The above-mentioned calculations are founded
on the method which is presented by performance test
standards.
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 World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology
International Journal of Mechanical, Aerospace, Industrial, Mechatronic and Manufacturing Engineering Vol:3, No:10, 2009
In the present paper, attempts have been made to evaluate
and improve the method which has been presented in ASME
PTC 22 [11] standard for estimation of energy, flow rate, and
temperature of exhaust gases from gas turbines. Considering
the increase in energy cost and also environmental
considerations, the use of combined cycles have increased,
one of the cases where gas turbines have had many
applications have been their use as coupled with heat recovery
steam generator. In heat recovery steam generator
performance evaluation, one of the key input parameters is the
flue gas energy( of the gas turbine. Therefore, in the new
version of PTC 22 standard a method has been proposed for its
estimation, and it is explained in further detail below.
II. THE METHOD FOR DETERMINING EFFICIENCY-HEAT AND
MASS BALANCE IN BRITON CYCLE
International Science Index, Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering Vol:3, No:10, 2009 waset.org/Publication/13979
The procedure for ASME performance test code is one of
the most comprehensive performance tests. By performing
such tests, power plants operators will be able to acquire more
precise information about the current performance of
operating units and evaluate the performance of units in
different operating conditions, and perform necessary
adjustments on equipments which have considerable influence
in fuel consumption. Moreover, they can estimate the time
required for repairing the faulty equipments by this method.
One of these tests is ASME PTC 22 which considers the
determination of efficiency of gas turbines with gas or liquid
fuel. This test also presents a mathematical method for
correction of efficiency, output power, and output energy form
the cycle in order to be calibrated with reference conditions.
This test can also be used in gas turbines used in combined
cycle or other heat-recycling systems.
Fig. 1 Control volume considered for performance test of gas turbine
based on ASME PTC 22 [11].
The first version of ASME PTC 22 standard was published
in 1953. At that time the highest application of gas turbines
was in production of peak load and driving compressors,
therefore that standard was allocated to output power and gas
turbine efficiency determination. When time passed and
technology developed the improvement of efficiency and
increase in output power, gas turbines became of use for
production of base load in combined cycles too. Therefore, in
International Scholarly and Scientific Research & Innovation 3(10) 2009
this case the flow rate of flue gas and exhaust temperature are
discussed as necessary parameters in investigation of heat
recovery steam generator and output of the cycle. Therefore,
one of the aims of the new version of ASME PTC 22 standard
is the estimation of energy, temperature, and flow rate of flue
gas of gas turbines.
The method used in performance tests is based on energy
and mass balance using thermodynamic principles. For this
purpose, a control volume has been assumed as figure 1, in
TABLE I
REQUIREMENTS FOR ESTIMATION OF THERMAL EFFICIENCY AND EXHAUST
FLOW RATE
1-Inlet air Pressure, Temperature, Relative
humidity
2-Fuel input Pressure, Temperature, Fuel
composition, Flow rate
3-Injection fluid Pressure, Temperature, Flow rate
4-Flue gas Temperature
5-Power Gross power, Power factor
6-Extraction air Temperature, Flow rate
7-Heat loss Temperature, Flow rate
which measurement points are specified according to the
required measurement. In table I the required measurement of
each of the flows shown in figure 1 are indicated.
Heat losses in the gas turbine include all streams which are
considered for generator cooling, lubrication, cooling of gas
turbine casing, rotor cooling, and , which intersect with the
boundaries of control cycle. It has to be mentioned that, the
heat losses are not taken into consideration when the purpose
of the test is just the determination of thermal efficiency.
A. Procedure of performing the test according to ASME
PTC 22 standard
Since in this paper the method for estimation of energy and
gas turbine exhaust flow rate is dealt with, other parameters
discussed in performance determination test like preparations
of the test, measurement precision, uncertainty calculations
and are avoided.
The governing equations include energy and mass balance,
which are:
Q air + Q fuel + Q inj = Q ext + Q elect + Q loss + Q exh (1) (1)
m air + m fuel + m inj = m ext + m exh (2)
Each one of the terms of equations 1 and 2, excluding the
exhaust flow rate and input air can be determined by direct
measurement, or an assumed value be considered for them. In
this case, there are two equations and two unknowns. The
determination of these unknowns is not easily possible due to
the dependence of exhaust energy or its enthalpy to air to fuel
ratio.
Two methods have been proposed for solution, in the first
method the air flow rate is found out using iteration. For this
purpose, a assumed value is allocated to the air flow rate, and
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 World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology
International Journal of Mechanical, Aerospace, Industrial, Mechatronic and Manufacturing Engineering Vol:3, No:10, 2009

the input and output energy of the gas turbine is estimated
using equation (1), and then air and exhaust flow rate is
corrected. These calculations are repeated to the point that two
sides of the energy equation are equal.
In the second method, the iteration process is omitted, but
this method required the separation of combustion air from
input air and exhaust flow. In this method, the stoichiometric
combustion air flow rate and the excess air which does not
participate in combustion process are considered separately,
and all equations can be solved for it without using the
iteration method. In the PTC, the second method has been
recommended. In this method the following equations have
been added to equations (1) and (2) in order to avoid iterations
[11].
Q air = Q air ,excess (in ) + Q air ,comb (3)
International Science Index, Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering Vol:3, No:10, 2009 waset.org/Publication/13979
In order to estimate the flue gas enthalpy, all exhaust
components are needed to be specified, but the analysis which
is performed just provides the dry analysis in which the
percent of nitrogen and argon compounds and water is not
specified separately. The percent of these compounds can
influence the estimation of enthalpy to a great extent. In order
to surmount this problem, two solutions have been proposed.
The first method: The conversion of dry mole fraction to wet
mole fraction components
In this method, amount of either components of fuel is
known. By balancing the combustion the number of moles of
each chemical component of combustion products can be
determined, and as a result convert the dry volume percent to
wet volume percent. The calculation procedure has been
discussed in the appendix A.

Qexh = Qcombprod + Q air ,excess (in ) (4) The second method:

m combprod = m air ,comb + m fuel + m inj (5) In this method, it has been assumed that the input fuel lacks
nitrogen and oxygen compounds. However, considering that
m exh = m combprod + m air ,excess (6) the combustion air itself contains nitrogen and oxygen, the
nitrogen and oxygen in the fuel can be considered inside air
In other words, in order to determine the flue gas contents. According to the above-mentioned assumption and
components and finally determining their energy or enthalpy, the dry analysis performed, all moles of combustion products
a set of stoichiometric combustion products enthalpy and can be determined. With regards to the calculations, for
enthalpy of excess air have been considered. The amount of different gas fuels and even liquid fuels, this method has an
stoichiometric air required can be determined using the type acceptable precision for estimation of flue gas enthalpy. The
and flow rate of the input fuel, and as a result the only calculation procedure has been discussed in the appendix B.
unknown will be excess air which can be determined from
equation (7). As it can be observed, the above-mentioned III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
method requires the exact determination of component of A. Case study
input fuel, so that the amount of stoichiometric air and related
calculations can be performed. TABLE II
DESIGN DATA OF TWO GAS TURBINE TYPES
Turbine type GE7241FA GE7251FB
m air ,excess (hair ,inlet hair ,exh ) = m ext hext + Q elect +Q loss m fuel LHV (7)
Output power (kW) 171103 183355
+ m combprod h combprod m inj hinj
Air pressure (bar) 1.01 1.01

In equations (3)-(7) Q is heat transfer, m is mass flow rate, Air temperature (C) 15 15

h is enthalpy, LHV is low heating value of fuel and the Relative humidity (%) 60 60
subscriptions of excess, comb., comprod., exh., ext., elect., loss Fuel mass flow rate 10.17 10.699
and inj. are related to excess air, combustor, combustion (kg/s)
Exhaust mass flow rate 453.91 451.07
product, turbine exhaust, extraction air, electric, heat loss and (kg/s)
injection fluid respectively. Fuel type Natural gas Natural gas

B. The modified method Flue gas 0.82 (Ar+N2) 0.82 (Ar+N2)

compositions 0.13 (O2) 0.13 (O2)
According to the present study, the method proposed in 0.04 (CO2) 0.04 (CO2)
ASME PTC 22 standard for estimation of exhaust flow rate
has some errors which can be improved. The foundation of Flue gas temperature 603 629.4
this improvement is based on the measurement of flue gas (C)
components. For this purpose, it is required to use a flue gas
analyzer device at the gas turbine exhaust, so that the dry mole
fraction of flue gas components be determined. The sampling In order to determine the precision of the proposed method,
method and method of smoke measurement have been the design data of two gas turbine types have been used
explained comprehensively in other standards of performance according to table II. If it is assumed that the exhaust flow rate
determination like ASME PTC 4. Therefore, they will not be of design state is unknown, by using other data it can be
dealt with here. estimated by PTC22 method and the present modified method,

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 World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology
International Journal of Mechanical, Aerospace, Industrial, Mechatronic and Manufacturing Engineering Vol:3, No:10, 2009
and then the degree of precision of results can be presented.
The results of gas turbine exhaust flow calculation have
been presented in table 3. It can be observed that the
difference between results of the method presented in ASME
PTC 22 and the design data is about 1.5 to 2 percent, but with
the present modified method this difference is much lower and
is about 0.25 to 0.35 percent that is because of estimation of
flue gas enthalpy. In the present method, the enthalpy of the
flue gas is found by measurement of flue gas components and
balancing of the combustion, and is more precise in
comparison to the standard method of ASME PTC 22 which
calculates the enthalpy of flue gas assuming that the
combustion is complete and no excess air participates in the
combustion. As a result, the degree of error is lower than the
method presented in ASME PTC 22 method.
Another advantage of the present method in comparison to
International Science Index, Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering Vol:3, No:10, 2009 waset.org/Publication/13979
ASME PTC 22 is the way of considering incomplete
combustion. In the present method effect of presence of un-
burned carbon and carbon monoxide gas in the products of the
combustion in a way show the incompleteness of the
combustion has been considered by considering the
combustion efficiency in energy balance equations. The
investigations about the present case indicate that the 0.05
percent deviation from the complete combustion efficiency
( = 100% ) can cause an error of about 0.1 percent in
estimation of exhaust mass flow rate.
B. The comparison of the modified method in two cases:
fuel with known components, and unknown fuel
In this section, the precision of the modified method has
been investigated by the assumption that the components of
the input fuel are unknown. In this method, it has been
assumed that the fuel lacks oxygen and nitrogen compounds.
For this purpose, a fuel has been considered that contains a
percent of oxygen and nitrogen. The information of the
elements forming the input fuel has been summarized in table
IV. This information is related to natural gas, in which the
weight percent of nitrogen and oxygen is 5.71 and 0.82,
respectively.
In order to compare the two methods, once again the
calculations of performance determination for gas turbine was
performed based on design data presented in table II for
turbine GE7241FA, disregarding the components of input fuel.
The results of the calculations have been presented in table
V. As it can be observed, the results are of an acceptable
precision.
IV. CONCLUSION
In this paper, a method was presented for improvement of
performance test code of gas turbines based on information
which can be obtained operationally. The calculations
performed for two gas turbine types manufactured by GE
Company indicated that the precision of calculation method
ASME PTC 22 regarding the flow rate of flue gas can be
improved by more than one percent. Since the exhaust flow
rate is usually used for heat recovery steam generators, this
degree of improvement in calculation precision can have a
International Scholarly and Scientific Research & Innovation 3(10) 2009 1199
TABLE IV
NATURAL GAS COMPOSITIONS ANALYSIS
Weight percent (%) Fuel composition
C 70.69
H 22.71
O 0.8208
N 5.701
S 0.0723
Ar 0
Water vapor 0.0
considerable role in estimation of efficiency of heat recovery
steam generators. Also, in this paper a method was presented
by which the calculations of performance estimation of gas
turbine be performed without measuring the input fuel
components. A calculation performed for a fuel which
contained a percent of oxygen and nitrogen indicated the
acceptable precision of this method, in a way that the error of
calculations was found out to be lower than 0.02 percent. Due
to the fact that the results presented in the present study are of
high precision, and it is possible to perform performance test
with the proposed method with data which can be acquired in
operational state, it is suggested that the method presented by
ASME PTC 22 standard be replaced with the modified
method.
TABLE V
THE RESULTS OF PERFORMANCE DETERMINATION OF GE7241FA TURBINE WITH
TWO MODIFIED METHODS
Percent of
Known fuel Unknown fuel
error (%)
Exhaust flow 452.31 452.23 0.018
Exhaust energy 1038539011 1038535227 0.000
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